Chapter 174: How Dare You Insult Our Patriarch!!!
How Dare You Insult Our Patriarch!!!
Behind him, countless heroic figures appeared.
Generals.
Warriors.
Ancient soldiers.
They emerged one after another from what looked like an endless battlefield. Their armor was stained with blood. Their weapons were raised high. Some carried spears, others swords, axes, or battle flags.
The sound of war seemed to linger around them.
They were not real soldiers.
They were manifestations of the Law of War.
Yet they looked so lifelike that anyone watching them would feel as though they had stepped onto an ancient battlefield.
All of them stood behind the old man.
All of them fought under his command.
This was the power of a Lunar Saint who had comprehended the Law of War.
His gaze slowly moved toward the three young men standing before him.
There was a faint trace of interest in his eyes.
Their cultivation was certainly impressive.
For their age, it could even be called extraordinary.
But cultivation alone was not enough to truly move him.
He had seen too many talented cultivators throughout his long life.
Some had been stronger.
Some had been more talented.
Some had even possessed cultivation that far exceeded their age.
Most of them, however, had eventually disappeared into the long river of time.
What truly caught his attention was not their current strength.
It was their potential.
That was the reason he was willing to lower himself and offer them the chance to become his disciples.
His gaze stopped on Nux.
The moment he looked at him, the Lunar Saint’s expression changed slightly.
Nux’s killing intent was terrifying.
It did not feel like something that belonged to a young cultivator.
It was vast.
Cold.
Almost endless.
Like an ocean filled with blood.
There was something wild about it.
Something almost mad.
The killing intent surrounding Nux continued to spread, making the surrounding air feel heavier.
Then, behind him, a massive phantom slowly appeared.
The figure was enormous.
Half of its body resembled a merciful Buddha.
Its expression was peaceful.
Compassionate.
Tears slowly flowed from its eyes as though it mourned the suffering of all living beings.
But the other half was completely different.
It resembled an Asura.
Its face was twisted into a savage grin.
Its eyes were filled with madness.
It looked as though it were laughing at the heavens themselves.
Mercy.
Slaughter.
Buddha.
Asura.
Two forces that should never have existed together had somehow become one.
The Lunar Saint stared at the phantom for several breaths.
His eyes narrowed.
"A Divine Body..."
He did not say the words aloud.
He simply watched.
The Divine Body behind Nux was already close to complete awakening.
That alone was astonishing.
A Divine Body was already incredibly rare.
One capable of carrying two completely opposite forces was even more extraordinary.
If Nux survived long enough to fully awaken it, his future would be difficult to predict.
The Lunar Saint slowly shifted his gaze away from him.
His eyes landed on Austin.
Compared with the other two, Austin’s cultivation was clearly the weakest.
There was no way to hide that difference.
Yet the Lunar Saint did not underestimate him.
Instead, his expression became slightly more serious.
A strange flame burned around Austin.
It was not merely something he had obtained.
He controlled it.
Perfectly.
The flame moved according to his will. There was no hesitation in its movements and no sign that it was resisting its master.
The Lunar Saint’s eyes flickered.
A Strange Flame.
Such flames were notoriously difficult to tame.
Even powerful cultivators could lose control of them.
One mistake was enough.
The flame could turn against its master and burn him from the inside out.
For that reason, obtaining a Strange Flame was only the beginning.
Controlling it was the real challenge.
And Austin had done it.
At such a young age.
The Lunar Saint’s gaze lingered on him for a moment longer.
There was more to this young man than his cultivation suggested.
Someone capable of perfectly controlling a Strange Flame was destined to walk a different path.
Once such a person matured, ordinary flames would no longer be worthy of standing before him.
All flames would eventually bow.
Such people were born with the potential to become the voice of the Great Law governing Fire.
One of the Three Thousand Great Laws of the World.
The thought alone made the Lunar Saint’s interest deepen.
Then his gaze moved again.
Finally, it settled on Damien.
For the first time, the old man’s expression changed noticeably.
His pupils contracted.
His attention became completely focused.
Sword Intent.
It soared from Damien’s body and reached toward the heavens.
The pressure was sharp enough to make the surrounding space tremble faintly.
The Lunar Saint stared at him.
Fourth level of the Heavenly Genesis Realm.
And he had reached it at such an age.
That was not something ordinary talent could explain.
A monster like this was rare even across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
The Lunar Saint’s eyes gradually brightened.
There was genuine appreciation in them now.
Three young men.
Three completely different paths.
Three extraordinary talents.
One possessed a terrifying Divine Body.
Another had perfectly mastered a Strange Flame.
And the last had reached the fourth level of the Heavenly Genesis Realm while carrying such terrifying Sword Intent.
Three uncut gems.
That was how the Lunar Saint saw them.
Their current brilliance was only the beginning.
With the right guidance, the right resources, and enough time...
They could become something extraordinary.
They could shine across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
That was why the Falling Goose Lunar Saint had made his decision.
He wanted to nurture them.
More importantly...
He wanted them as his disciples.
It was a rare opportunity.
Even for him.
He had not taken disciples casually throughout his long life.
But these three were different.
Their potential was worth the effort.
The Falling Goose Lunar Saint was just about to speak again.
Then—
Nux stepped forward.
He positioned himself slightly in front of Austin and Damien.
His black hair moved gently in the wind.
His red eyes were calm.
Yet there was a hidden edge behind them.
"Forgive me, Senior. The three of us are of the Salvatore Family. Such matters must be reported to our Patriarch for a decision."
His words were respectful.
But his meaning was clear.
They could not decide this themselves.
Their loyalty belonged to the Salvatore Family.
And above that family—
stood Victor.
The Lunar Saint’s expression changed.
"The Salvatore Family?"
His tone carried surprise.
Then his lips curled.
"That family that destroyed Azure Sovereign Kingdom?"
His eyes became mocking.
"A mere clan from a backwater nation. Naming yourselves Divine Black Dragon Empire—heh, does that mean you won’t be paying tribute to the Four Divine Kingdoms?"
"Your Patriarch must be a fool!"
The words had barely fallen—
Silence descended.
Nux’s expression froze.
Damien’s eyes became cold.
Austin lowered his head slightly.
His fingers tightened.
The Falling Goose Lunar Saint continued looking at them with disdain.
In his eyes, the Salvatore Family might have possessed some foundation.
Perhaps they had a few hidden experts.
Perhaps their Patriarch was somewhat capable.
But that was all.
They had dared to establish the Black Dragon Empire without seeking permission or accepting a granted title from the Four Divine Kingdoms.
To him—
That was madness.
A decision only an idiot would make.
Without the protection of powerful forces, what were they?
Nothing more than prey waiting to be devoured.
But the old man had made one mistake.
He had insulted the one person the three young men respected above all else.
And that single sentence struck Austin’s deepest nerve.
WHOOSH—!!!
Pale flames erupted from Austin’s body.
The Death Illusion Demon Flame exploded outward.
The oppressive force of the Falling Goose Lunar Saint was instantly torn apart around him.
The temperature of the entire Red Cliff Mountain climbed sharply.
Austin slowly raised his head.
His black eyes burned with fury.
Pale flames danced around his body.
Countless illusions appeared within the fire.
Some showed ruined worlds.
Some showed endless battlefields.
Some showed countless corpses.
Truth and illusion intertwined until even reality itself seemed uncertain.
His voice rang across the mountain.
"Old dog!! How dare you insult our Patriarch!!"
The Death Illusion Demon Flame surged skyward, summoning countless phantoms—truth and illusion intertwined.